Sons Of Missing Fox Executive Make Emotional Plea For His Return

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LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The three sons of a missing Fox movie executive are making an emotional plea for his safe return.

The search for Gavin Smith, 57, continues.

Today, his family created a website hoping to attract leads and information about his mysterious disappearance.

Smith, a member of UCLA’s 1975 championship basketball team, was last seen more than a week ago.

Internet reports Wednesday calling the case a homicide or a crime investigation got the family particularly upset. They insist this case is still a missing person’s case. Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the LA County Sheriff’s explained, “we added more resources, a couple of detectives from the missing person’s unit. The missing person’s unit is part of the homicide bureau. So when you add detectives, they are homicide detectives.”

Smith’s sons spoke to “Inside Edition.” Son Dylan made a personal plea to his dad. He said, “Life’s not the same without you. And I don’t know what I’m going to do without you in my life.”

Son Erik, who plays basketball for USC, said, “The problem is that time is of the essence in these kinds of things. My gut feeling is my dad is somewhere out there and we need to find him.”

They are baffled by the disappearance. Erik says, “his shaving kit, all his suits are still in the house. All he left with what his phone and wallet.”

Detectives are exploring all options. They’re questioning whether Smith might have gone off the side of the road. Or that he might have been the victim of a robbery. Or that he left on his own accord. “We don’t have any indications of foul play,” said Whitmore, “but you can’t rule that out.”

Gavin Smith and family. (credit: The Smith Family)

Smith’s wife says she is too distraught to give interviews.

Erik Smith says the sons are not giving up. “If any of us were missing, my dad would not stop looking for us. So we’re not going to stop until we find him.”